Wounds
by Azul Ocean
Summary: A five-part poem story about Naruto and Hinata, their changing feelings for each other, and how their relationship evolves.It's better than the summary, Please Read!
1. Fragile Heart :Naruto:

_Wounds_

**New free-verse up! This is the first installment in a five-part poem story I wrote back during school. I warn you, it is quite angsty, but don't let that dissuade you. There's a cyber-cookie waiting for you!**

I am wounded.

Can't you see the scars?

They're right here, on my heart.

You put them there yourself.

Oh, I know you never _intended_ to,

But what effect did you expect?

Every time I told you I cared

You would knock me down

And chase after him.

Do you know how much it hurts?

To see your smiles,

And hear your laughs,

Knowing that they were reserved

For another?

To know that your heart belonged to him

And cares nothing for me.

But, what hurts more than that

Is to know that he cares nothing for you.

You chase him

Like I chase you,

Constantly rejected but unrelenting,

Ignored and knocked down,

But still persevering.

But, how long can I go on?

A heart is a beautiful thing.

When it is broken it can be repaired,

Healed.

But, like all beautiful things,

Once it is broken and fixed

It can't be as pretty

As it was before.

As it is with a heart.

When a heart is broken

It retains the scars.

It cannot love as much.

It isn't noticeable

The first few times.

But when a heart is broken

A thousand times, such as mine,

It is no longer a beautiful work of art.

It has become ugly,

Unable to love.

As mine is now.

You have knocked me down so many times

That now, my heart isn't broken.

It is shattered.

You have broken it too many times.

My weakened heart can no longer sustain me.

I have given up.

I cannot continue getting up

After you knock me down.

I am sorry.

**Wow, super-angst. In case you didn't figure it out, this is Naruto mind-talking to Sakura, who is still completely hung up on Sasuke. The day this chapter was written goes down in history as my most depressed day. Buuuut, don't let me get you down! Please be one of the few who R+R, I beseech you! You'll get a cyber-pizza! (Or was it a cookie?...)**


	2. Forsaken Heart :Hinata:

**Hello again, and welcome to the second part of Wounds. Please enjoy!**

I am wounded.

Can't you see the scars?

They're right here, on my heart.

You put them there yourself.

No, I know you didn't mean to.

But you did it anyway.

Every time

That I would try

To tell you how I feel

You were talking to her.

Her, the object of your attention.

Do you know how much

It hurts?

To hear your laughs

And see your smile,

Knowing they were meant

For someone else.

Knowing that I would never

Be good enough

To have them shown for me.

But, what hurts worse,

Even more than that,

Is to know she cares nothing for you.

You keep chasing her, knowing

That you will be rejected

And knocked down again.

But you get up every time you fall,

The smile still firmly fixed

On your face.

Through all the hardest times in my life

Your smile sustained me.

But now, I urge you to stay down,

To not get up.

Because now your smile

Can no longer save me.

I can no longer recover when you

Unintentionally hurt me.

I wish it could be different.

But I cannot tell you

How I feel for you.

I have given up.

I'm sorry.

**Angst, Part two. Another chapter down! I have no inspirational speech this time. As before, please R+R!**


	3. Realization :Naruto:

**Wow, third chapter already. Welcome back, one of my few readers! When I wrote this months ago I was originally going to leave it at the first two parts, but then several people wanted a happy ending, so I continued soon afterward. Installment three of five!**

I had given up.

I had abandoned all hope.

She had crushed my heart

A thousand times.

That thousandth time

I felt it shatter

And I knew it was over.

I had lost the will to love.

Until,

I saw you.

You were following me,

Trailing me but never speaking.

When I saw I couldn't look away.

When I looked at you

You looked away,

Staring at the ground, blushing.

How could I have not seen you?

Now that I don't love her anymore

My eyes are open once more,

And I can see the world.

I finally spoke to you,

And you barely answered.

Your eyes cast to the Earth,

Your voice quiet and stutter-broken.

But, you spoke to me.

And, with time, you improved.

You could look me in the eyes.

You could go awhile

Without a stutter.

And, also as time passed, you grew.

From a cute girl into a beautiful young woman.

And, as we grew, My feelings grew.

I considered you a friend

You me? I knew not.

Whenever our talk

Turned to matters of the heart

You would blush and stammer

And not answer my sacred question.

Who Do You Like?

I know who I like.

But, when you ask,

I grin and say

No One.

But, I am lying.

Like when I say "I am fine."

The one I like is right in front of me.

And you never know.

You think I still love her.

But I don't.

I thought my heart was shattered,

Incapable of loving, or being loved,

But, you showed me otherwise.

You think my heart is beautiful,

Even in a thousand pieces.

As we grew closer I piece it back together,

Almost afraid of what I would see.

But, as I replaced the last piece

I realized that it _could _still love,

That _I_ could still love.

And I know _who_ I love.

It had been staring me in the face

For years.

Now I know.

But, I don't know _your_ heart.

I don't want to risk my fragile soul.

Will you shatter my repairs?

I don't know what you feel,

But I must know.

No matter the consequences.

**Looking a little hopeful, right? In case you didn't pick up on it, this was Naruto, finally returning Hinata's affections. Still not very observant, though. Until next time! Please R+R, and **_**no flames.**_** I don't mind criticism, and welcome it. Just tell me how to improve my free-verse, but don't just tell me it's bad. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Wondering :Hinata:

**I'll keep it short this time. Welcome to chapter 4, the penultimate installment in Wounds. Finally typed this up, so read the fruits of my efforts. Read and enjoy!**

I had given up.

I thought that you

Would never give up on her.

That you would never see me,

Trailing behind you, never speaking.

Why would you?

I was invisible,

A shy, blushing girl

Who spoke to few,

Never to you.

You were always so happy,

Never worried or concerned.

Never hesitating

To cheer someone up.

So imagine my surprise

To find that it was just a mask.

A shroud, a façade.

Your true feelings hidden from view.

I saw you crying under a tree one day.

But as soon as you saw me

You dried your tears and tried

To tell me everything's fine.

"I'm ok, nothing's wrong."

You even tried to convince me

With a smile,

But I didn't believe it.

I had gotten a glimpse

Of your true self.

The one unconcealed by your mask.

The one you hide.

Why?

Why do you hide yourself?

It made me wonder if

I had fallen in love

With a mask.

But, as time went by,

And we grew closer,

Hiding fewer things from each other,

The mask fell off.

Chip by chip,

Piece by piece,

Fragment by fragment,

To reveal the true you.

My fears were unfounded.

I still loved you.

If anything,

I loved you more.

As we grew from children

To teenagers

Our friendship blossomed

Like a summer rose.

My feelings swelled even more with it.

Even if you didn't see me

The same way

I gazed at you,

Wondering how, after the years,

You felt.

If you feel about me

The same way I

Feel about you.

I would ask,

Almost playfully,

Who you might feel for.

Your response broke my heart twofold.

No One.

Once,

Because you loved none.

Twice,

Because you didn't love me.

When you asked back

I broke my heart a third time.

No One.

But, as I know well,

I lied.

I do care for someone.

You. More than care, though.

_I love you._

And you never knew.

But, now I can't hold it in.

I must know for sure

How you feel for me.

My heart hangs in the balance,

But I must know.

Is it still her you love,

Or is it me?

**Whew! 'Another chappie done! I'm going through this and finding mistakes and inconsistencies galore! Wow, what a mess… anyway! Thanks for reading, and as always, my few faithful readers, Read and Review! Always makes me warm and fuzzy… Like Kyuubi! Without the teeth, claws, attitude problem… Ahhhh! Never mind… **


	5. In The Light :Naruto and Hinata:

**Last installment in Wounds! Thank you so much for sticking with this all the way, my few-but-faithful readers! I hope you enjoy!**

For so long you were in front of me,

Wondering, never asking

If I loved you.

So many years passed before I asked.

I didn't know your answer,

But I had to know.

It had become too much to bear.

I finally broke and told you.

I Love You.

But, you asked at the same time.

I was consumed with so much joy!

But, at the same time,

Regret.

I had admired and loved you

For years,

And never told you.

Not knowing that you

Loved me.

We both lived the years in pain.

Pain, because we never knew.

Regretting that we never had the courage

To ask.

But, that chapter is over.

Far better late

Than never.

And it almost came to that.

Now we live in harmony,

Basking in the light

Of our love.

Regret has gone,

And so has fear,

Doubt,

And ambiguity.

Now we both know.

I Love You.

Together, we heal the scars

Inflicted by the years

Until the pain is gone.

Now our hearts are one whole.

Seamless, unscarred, and loving.

Love brought us together.

Love made us realize.

Love fused us.

Love intertwines us together.

Now, nothing can tear us apart.

**Whew! Finally done! That was the last chapter of Wounds, my first multi-chapter fic. *sniff* The memories… Anyway, please R+R as usual! If you enjoyed this, check out my profile and other fics. I should have a one-shot up soon, but there are some more free-verse there. Thanks for reading!**

**Azul Ocean**


End file.
